Call for NZ to express concern at human rights abuses in Papua

A Green Party MP says New Zealand must take more action to express concerns over human rights abuses by Indonesian security forces in Papua.

Catherine Delahunty's comment comes after a violent rampage by Indonesian soldiers in the Papua town of Wamena last week, with reports saying they killed up to 17 locals and destroyed dozens of homes.

Furthermore ongoing shootings by unidentified gunmen in Jayapura have triggered fears of escalating military presence in the provincial capital.

Catherine Delahunty says New Zealand should review its training relationship with a military like Indonesia's.

"When we have deaths where no one is held accountable which are highly likely to have involved the military. And so the ambiguous role of the military in West Papua is something New Zealand should be challenging about rather than engaging in training in unquestioning support for the Indonesian military as if their hands are clean when clearly, they're not."